'I tried Which? energy bill tool and it might save me £447 a year - here's how to try it'
The UK's consumer champion has unveiled a new energy planning tool along with tips to help those who are struggling to cope with rising electricity prices
by Lauren Haughey · PlymouthLiveMillions of Brits are steeling themselves for a winter of soaring energy bills as the price cap is poised to rise by an average of 10% from tomorrow. Between October 1 to December 31, typical households could see their bills escalate to £1,717 per year, especially if they are utilising electricity and gas.
However, Which?, the UK's consumer champion, has now introduced a new energy planning tool and several tips to assist those who are finding it tough. Quite worried about electricity prices myself, I decided to try it out and was taken aback by just how much I could save.
The energy planning service, launched today (September 30), enables users to create a personalised plan for cutting energy bills, diminishing your carbon footprint and enhancing your home's energy rating. It begins by asking for your postcode, so it can construct a 'home profile' using your EPC ratings, insulation data and various other details.
After a brief pause, you'll then be shown its initial property results, with Which? subsequently asking consumers to verify whether all details are accurate. If they are, it'll then provide you with a few estimates.
For my C-rated mid-terraced house, it suggested I could potentially save a whopping '£447 per year' on energy bills while reducing my emissions by a remarkable 47%. In addition to that, it stated that I could 'earn £262 per year from selling unused electricity back to the grid' and even boost my EPC rating to an A.
For more specific information, I was then encouraged to register for the home energy planning service. I needed to supply my full name, email and a new password, followed by additional details on my council tax band and the types of benefits I'm receiving.
Once filled out, it'll ask you to outline where you'd like to start with this plan. For me, these options were:
- Start smaller, feel warmer - Start with easy to install, lower cost improvements to reduce your energy bills and make your home more comfortable.
- Solar PV panels - Discover the cost and benefits of installing a Solar PV system in your property.
- Air Source Heat Pump - Explore the costs and benefits of de-carbonising your heating system with an Air Source Heat Pump.
- Reducing my CO2 emissions - See which improvements can lower your household CO2 emissions the most.
- I'm not sure - We know this can be daunting, so we can show you a range of options at different price points to help you decide.
Choosing the 'Start smaller, feel warmer' option, the Which? website presented me with a tailored Home Improvement Plan. It highlighted various grants I could access and suggested home enhancements.
The latter featured new wall insulation, insulated external doors, an updated heating system, and energy-saving lightbulbs. Despite an estimated total cost of £3,920 for these improvements, it was projected that I could save about £109 annually on my energy bills through home improvements alone.
Over a decade, this would amount to savings of £1,089. Following the energy service launch, Emily Seymour, Which? Energy Editor, also commented: "Many households will understandably be worried that the energy price cap is rising tomorrow - a time of year when we all start to use more energy. There are simple steps you can take right now that won’t cost a penny but could help you to cancel out the cost of the increase in the price cap.
"Anyone looking to upgrade their home with improvements that could reduce their energy bills should use the free Which? home energy planning service to get a free personalised plan."
Aside from its new tool, the consumer champion also recommends a few other steps you can take to make a few quick saves at home. This includes switching out your condenser tumble dryer, costing an average of £171 a year, for a heat pump tumble dryer which will cost an average of £127 from October.
Its new advice also adds: "Heating water is another expense that can lead to mounting energy bills. If you have a hot water tank, save money by using heating controls to turn your water heating on and off so you only heat as much water as you need. If you have a combi boiler that heats water on demand, try setting your water temperature a little lower if you find you usually have to mix it with cold water anyway, and avoid running hot water for a long time when you’re washing dishes or showering.
"For heating your home, heating controls enable consumers to set their heating and hot water to turn on and off to suit them, heat only the parts of their home that need it, set different temperatures for different areas of their home and keep their home at a temperature that is comfortable, without wasting heat. If you don’t have them already, install a room thermostat, programmer or thermostatic radiator valves (and use them well).
"This could save a typical household over £100 per year on energy bills each year, according to Energy Saving Trust."
To try the energy tool for yourself, head to Which?'s website.